Structure for holding a battery pack on an electronic apparatus

Abstract: An electronic apparatus has a first and a second engaging portion. After the first engaging portion (3) has mated with a hook portion included in a battery pack (5), the battery pack is pressed against the casing of the apparatus. As a result, a lock lever extending from the battery pack (6) bends in a first direction and mates with the second locking portion (4). A wall portion (7) is formed in the battery pack outboard of the lock lever and provided with adequate strength and elasticity. The wall portion protects the lock lever from damage when an excessive force, tending to bend the lock lever in a second direction opposite to the first direction, acts on the lever.

Description: The present invention relates to a structure for removably holding a battery pack on an electronic apparatus and, more particularly, to a structure for holding a battery pack accommodating batteries which power a portable telephone or similar miniature electronic apparatus. It has been customary with an electronic apparatus of the kind described to provide the casing of the apparatus with a first and a second engaging portion while providing a battery pack with a hook portion and a lock lever. The hook portion is engageable with the first engaging portion. The lock lever is made of a plastic or similar elastic material and engageable with the second engaging portion. To mount the battery pack to the casing, the former is pressed against the latter. As a result, the lock lever elastically bends and mates with the second engaging portion of the casing, locking the battery pack to the casing. To remove the battery pack from the casing, the lock lever is bent by finger until it has been released from the second engaging portion. The conventional structure relies on the elasticity of the lock lever in locking and unlocking the battery pack from the casing of the apparatus, as stated above. The problem with such a structure is that the lock lever breaks when bent beyond the limit of elasticity thereof, as determined by experiments. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack holding structure for an electronic apparatus which protects a lock lever from damage even when an excessive force, tending to bend the lever outward, acts on the lever. This object is solved with the features of the claims. In the above structure, the wall portion prevents the lock lever from bending excessively against the excessive force tending to bend the lever outward. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a section showing a conventional battery pack holding structure for an electronic apparatus; Fig. 2 is a section showing a battery pack holding structure embodying the present invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus incorporating the structure of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a section showing how an external force acts on a lock lever included in the embodiment. To better understand the present invention, a brief reference will be made to a conventional structure for holding a battery pack, shown in Fig. 1. As shown, an electronic apparatus has a casing 1 to which a battery pack 2 is removably mounted. The casing 1 has a first engaging portion 3 and a second engaging portion 4. The battery pack 2 has a hook portion 5 and a lock lever 8. The hook portion 5 is engageable with the first engaging portion 3. The lock lever 8 is made of a plastic or similar elastic material and engageable with the second engaging portion 4. To mount the battery pack 2 to the casing 1, the former is pressed against the latter. Then, the lock lever 8 elastically bends in a direction A and mates with the second engaging portion 4 of the casing 1, locking the battery pack 2 to the casing 1. To remove the battery pack 2 from the casing 1, the lock lever 8 is bent in the direction A by finger until it has been released from the second engaging portion 4. The conventional structure described above has a problem that the lock lever 8 of the battery pack 2 is apt to break, as stated earlier. Referring to Fig. 2, a battery pack holding structure embodying the present invention will be described. As shown, a battery pack 2a is removably mounted to a casing 1 included in an electronic apparatus. The casing 1 has a first engaging portion 3 and a second engaging portion 4 which are engageable with the battery pack 2a. The battery pack 2a has a casing 10 accommodating nickel-cadmium batteries thereon. The casing 10 has a hook portion 5 and a lock lever 6 which are respectively engageable with the first and second engaging portions 3 and 4 of the casing 1. Further, the casing 10 has a wall portion 7 extending substantially parallel to the lock lever 6. To mount the battery pack 2a to the casing 1, the hook portion 5 is brought into engagement with the first engaging portion 3. Subsequently, the battery pack 2a is pressed against the casing 1. As a result, the lock lever 6 of the battery pack 6 bends in a direction A and mates with the second engaging portion 4, thereby locking the battery pack 4a to the casing 1. To unlock the battery pack 2a from the casing 1, the lock lever 6 is bent in the direction A by finger so as to be released from the second engaging portion 4. In this condition, the battery pack 2a is ready to be removed from the casing 1. FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the battery pack holding structure in accordance with the present invention which is applied to a portable telephone by way of example. Dial keys and other conventional keys are arranged on the front of the telephone, although not shown in the figure. FIG. 4 shows the battery pack 2a removed from the casing of the electronic apparatus. Even when the lock lever 6 is accidentally jerked in a direction B by, for example, being caught by the user's clothing, the wall 7 outboard of the lock lever 6 prevents it from bending. When the lock lever 6 is urged in a direction A, the casing 10 of the battery pack 2a itself plays the role of a stop for preventing the lock lever 6 from bending. In this manner, the lock lever 6 is protected from damage even when subjected to unexpected external forces. The electrical connection between the battery pack 2a and the electronic apparatus is not shown or described since it is not relevant to the understanding of the present invention.

Claims: A structure for preventing from excessively bending a swayable lock lever (6) of a battery pack (2a), which is mountable to a battery casing (1) of an electronic apparatus and which accommodates batteries for feeding power to said electronic apparatus, said structure comprising: a first (3) and a second (4) flat engaging portion extending from said casing (1) in opposite directions for locking said battery pack (2a) in a longitudinal direction; a hook portion (5) provided on one end of said battery pack (2a) in the longitudinal direction for mating with said first engaging portion (3); wherein the lock lever (6) extends from the other end of said battery pack (2a) with respect to the longitudinal direction for mating with said second engaging portion (4) due to elasticity when said battery pack (2a) is pressed against said casing (1) after said first engaging portion (3) and said hook portion (5) have mated with each other, thereby locking said battery pack (2a) to said casing (1); and wherein a wall member (7) extends from said battery pack (2a) outboard of said lock lever (6) for limiting the bending motion of said lock lever in the direction opposite to the press direction. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wall member (7) has strength and elasticity which prevent said lock lever (6) from bending outward against the excessive force, while insuring engagement of said lock lever with said second engaging portion. A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing (1) comprises an accommodating portion for accommodating said battery pack (2a) and the first (3) and the second (4) engaging portions are formed in said accommodating portion. A structure as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the swayable lock lever terminates at a lug engageable with said second engaging portion (4). A structure as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein said lock lever comprises an elastic member made of plastics.

Inventors: KAWAJI HIRONORI, KOBAYASHI FUMIYUKI, KAWAJI, HIRONORI, KOBAYASHI, FUMIYUKI, KAWAJI, HIRONORI, C/O NEC SAITAMA, LTD., KOBAYASHI, FUMIYUKI, C/O NEC CORPORATION
Applicants: NIPPON ELECTRIC CO, NEC CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: H01M2
IPC codes: H01M2, H05K5, H04M1